Before we get to the 49ers’ upcoming preseason game, here’s a brief history lesson.

In 2010, the 49ers’ defense was ordinary. It ranked 13th in yards allowed and 16th in points given up. Four current starters were key contributors on that 2010 defense – Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks and Ray McDonald.

After the 2010 season, the 49ers drafted Aldon Smith and signed Carlos Rogers and Donte Whitner. Tarell Brown and NaVorro Bowman, who hardly played for the Niners in 2010, became key starters in 2011. And the defense became one of the best. It ranked fourth in yards and second in points that season, and it ranked top-five in both categories in 2012 and 2013.

Rogers, Whitner and Brown are no longer Niners – they signed with different teams this offseason. Bowman will miss at least the first half of the season rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL. Aldon Smith could miss the first half of the season, too – the NFL hasn’t yet announced how many games it will suspend him.

Without Smith, Bowman, Rogers, Whitner and Brown will the 49ers defense revert to mediocrity? The answer depends on their replacements. Two of them — Antoine Bethea and Michael Wilhoite — currently are secure in their roles and may not play much on Sunday. But a few replacements will play extensively against the Broncos.

Replacement No. 1: Corey Lemonier. He’s replacing Aldon Smith, arguably the best pass rusher in football. The 49ers did not have a strong four-man pass rush before they drafted Aldon Smith. He changed that right away. His first practice as a 49er, he made veteran left tackle Joe Staley look silly. Staley couldn’t get his hands on him. Smith has longer arms than most offensive linemen and he has quick, powerful hands like Bruce Lee. Smith practically karate chops offensive linemen’s arms. They can’t touch him, let alone block him.

Lemonier has none of that ability. He’s a good athlete, about the same size as Aldon Smith, but he doesn’t have Bruce Lee hands. Offensive tackles easily tie up Lemonier. In practice, he struggles to beat even the backup tackles like Carter Bykowski. Last Thursday, the Ravens occasionally blocked Lemonier with a rookie tight end named Crockett Gilmore and got away with it.

Lemonier played 70 snaps against the Ravens and recorded one sack on a play in which backup safety Bubba Ventrone blitzed. Lemonier was ineffective when the 49ers didn’t bliltz. The entire 49ers’ four-man rush was ineffective, actually. All three of the 49ers’ sacks came as a result of blitzing.

Watch Lemonier’s pass rushing technique against the Broncos. Can he beat first-string offensive tackles? Can he beat second-string offensive tackles? Can he beat blocking tight ends? If not, the 49ers’ pass rush will be in major trouble when the regular season starts and defenses game plan to exploit him – they may be able to block him with a tight end and therefore double-team Justin Smith.

Replacement No. 2: Jimmie Ward. He’s replacing Carlos Rogers as the nickel back, the corner who covers the slot receiver. Ward should be an immediate upgrade over Rogers as a run defender and a blitzer. Ward was a safety in college and hits hard for a shrimp. But can he cover? For what it’s worth, he has not covered well in training camp. He always seems to be a step behind the receiver downfield. He hasn’t been able to handle quick little Devon Wylie who probably won’t make the team.

Ward will match up on Sunday against Wes Welker. Welker is Ward’s toughest test of the offseason so far.

Replacement No. 3: Chris Culliver. He’s replacing Tarell Brown as the starting right cornerback. Culliver can shut down the best wide receivers on short and intermediate routes. During Friday afternoon’s practice in Levi’s Stadium, Culliver erased Michael Crabtree, didn’t give him an inch of separation.

But Culliver gets beaten deep by anybody who runs fast. On Friday, he got beaten deep by L’Damian Washington, an undrafted receiver whom the Cowboys cut a few weeks ago.

As the starting right corner, Culliver will match up frequently against fast wide receivers – offenses tend to put their deep-threat receivers on that side of the field. The first four weeks of the regular season, Culliver will cover Terrance Williams, Alshon Jeffery, Michael Floyd and Riley Cooper. All four averaged at least 16 yards per catch last season. The last time Culliver faced Floyd, Culliver gave up 5 catches, 89 yards and a touchdown.

Culliver will face Demaryius Thomas on Sunday. Thomas is one of the best and most complete receivers in football. He can get open short, intermediate and deep. Can Culliver hold his own against him? He’d better. He will face Thomas again Week 7.

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.

Round 1, Pick 30: Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State. With so many juniors declaring for the draft this year, next year’s wide receiver class probably will be lean. The 49ers better grab a WR now. There’s a chance eight will get drafted in the first round this year — Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Odell Beckham, Brandin Cooks, and Adams.

Round 2, Pick 24: Deone Bucannon, SS, Washington State. Donte Whitner had a good season and is a free agent. He’s going to want a pay increase. He’s a big hitter, but a liability in coverage. So the 49ers replace him with the best strong safety prospect in the draft — Bucannon.

Round 2, Pick 30: Victor Hampton, CB, South Carolina. The 49ers could lose Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown this offseason. So the Niners need to draft a couple of cornerbacks, and Hampton seems to fit the profile of cornerbacks the 49ers like — fast, quick and stout. About 200 pounds.

Round 3, Pick 13: David Fales, QB, San Jose State. The 49ers take their backup QB who can compete for the starting job in 2015 if Kaepernick does not improve next season.

Round 3, Pick 30: Tyler Larsen, C, Utah State. Jonathan Goodwin is a free agent and probably will retire. The only other center on the roster is Daniel Kilgore, a former fifth-round pick who never has started a game in the NFL and is a free agent after next season. Larsen is big, strong and agile, like the other 49ers offensive linemen.

KAEPERNICK: A-. He played terribly before the 49ers defense made their second goal line stand but, then again, most of the Niners played terribly before the second stand. After that, Kaepernick and the rest of the Niners were just about unstoppable. Kaepernick accounted for two touchdowns – a pass to Vernon Davis while rolling to the right, and a 4-yard touchdown run on a read-option play. On both plays, Kaepernick benefitted from the Panthers’ strong safety, Quintin Mikell, being out because he injured his foot. Kaepernick finished with an 87.8 passer rating despite not turning the ball over. Kaepernick’s rating wasn’t higher because he was inaccurate – 15-for-28. And he was inaccurate because he didn’t consistently set his feet and step into his throws.

RUNNING BACKS: A-. If you take away Frank Gore’s 39 yard run, he gained just gained 45 yards on 16 carries – 2.8 yards per carry. But his 39-yard run was one of the key plays of the game, it came against a fully stacked box and Gore gets tremendous credit for that. Breaking through stacked boxes for 30 or 40-yard gains has been Gore’s signature this season. Great signature to have. Gore played well considering the Panthers are tough against the run, and they injured fullback Will Tukuafu early in the game.

WIDE RECEIVERS: A-. The Panthers couldn’t stop Anquan Boldin. He finished with 8 catches on 12 targets for 136 yards. In the second quarter, Boldin made three catches on the 49ers first touchdown drive and drew a pass interference penalty on the Panthers in the end zone, setting up a touchdown to Vernon Davis two plays later. In the third quarter, Boldin beat a blown coverage and caught a 45-yard pass before he got caught and tackled at the Panthers’ 2 yard line. Michael Crabtree caught one 20-yard pass a couple short passes, and Quinton Patton caught on the first drive of the game when the Panthers forgot to cover him.

TIGHT ENDS: A-. The only tight end who caught a pass was Vernon Davis, and it was a one-yard touchdown. Davis did a great job dragging his second foot in bounds on that catch. Since Crabtree came back, he and Boldin and Gore have moved the 49ers’ offense down the field. But Davis has been the Niners’ No.1 touchdown threat by far. Without him, the 49ers kick field goals.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A-. They gave up one sack early and no sacks after that. They got better as the game went on.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A. They shut down the Panthers’ running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert. And the 49ers’ defensive line knocked the Panthers’ offensive line back on every single play during the two goal line stands. That was the turning point of the game. Without those stands, the Panthers could have scored 21 points in the first half.

LINEBACKERS: A+. Ahmad Brooks and NaVorro Bowman were unbelievable. Brooks tackled Cam Newton for no gain on fourth-and-1 during the first goal line stand, and tackled Newton for no gain on second-and-1 during the second stand. Bowman tackled Mike Tolbert for a one-yard loss on third-and-1 during the second stand. And two plays before, Bowman tackled Newton one yard away from the goal line after a six-yard run around the left end. If Brooks or Bowman had missed any of those tackles, the 49ers may not have won. Bowman and Brooks made other great plays. The Panthers were down 10 points toward the end of the third quarter and they were at the 49ers’ 29 yard line, in field goal range. First, Bowman blitzed and sacked Newton for an 8-yard loss. Next play, Brooks sacked Newton for another 8-yard loss and the Panthers had to punt. And I didn’t even mention Patrick Willis. He had 11 tackles and an interception. This is the first A+ I’ve given all season.

SECONDARY: B. They gave up a 64 percent completion rate, 10.7 yards per pass attempt, 9 passing first downs, a 60 percent third-down-conversion rate and a touchdown. That’s not good. Tarell Brown gave up the touchdown – a deep pass to Steve Smith. Brown ran stride-for-stride with Smith, but Brown never turned his head to find the ball. Donte Whitner boosts this unit’s grade with his game-ending interception.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C. Phil Dawson was perfect again. LaMichael James didn’t try to return any punts or kicks. The 49ers’ kick coverage team gave up a 24-yard punt return to Ted Ginn Jr. And Andy Lee bounced a pass to a wide open Kassim Osgood.

COACHING: A. In the first half, the Panthers moved the ball on the 49ers no problem – 7.5 yards per play. Gaudy. Vic Fangio adjusted and, in the second half, his defense held the Panthers to zero points. Fangio has been one of the best coordinators in the NFL this season. He doesn’t get enough credit. The 49ers’ offense struggled in the first half, too, averaging just 3.9 yards per play. But as soon as the Panthers took a 10-6 lead in the second quarter, Greg Roman became Super Greg Roman. On the offense’s next three drives, almost every call Roman made worked, the 49ers marched down the field three-straight times, scored 17 points and put the game away. Also, give Jim Harbaugh credit for properly preparing his team. The Panthers’ head coach, Ron Rivera, did not properly prepare his team. They were nuts in the first half, committing dumb penalty after dumb penalty. Overall, the Panthers committed five penalties that resulted in first downs for the 49ers. And when the Panthers failed two times to punch the ball into the end zone, they folded. The Panthers were trying to prove to themselves they were the tougher team, but they weren’t. Give Harbaugh credit. The 49ers didn’t come out over-hyped trying to prove themselves. The truth revealed itself. The 49ers were tougher, more prepared and more composed than the Panthers.

]]>http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/49ers-23-panthers-10-grades/feed/480Harbaugh: “We have a lot of confidence in our secondary players.”http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/harbaugh-we-have-a-lot-of-confidence-in-our-secondary-players/
http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/harbaugh-we-have-a-lot-of-confidence-in-our-secondary-players/#commentsFri, 10 Jan 2014 19:45:30 +0000http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/?p=19374Here is a transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Friday press conference courtesy of the 49ers.

As you prepared for this game, how much was the focus just on getting their bodies right and more mental than physical?

“It was both, both those things.”

Just the fact that I know you kind of worked the schedule a little bit different for earlier practice times, you haven’t done that in the past on Eastern games have you?

“No.”

Why did you do it this week?

“Just felt like it was the thing to do this week.”

Does this game to you have sort of a throwback feel? Two teams that like to run the ball, two teams with good defenses. Did you get that sense with this game coming up?

“Throwback, no, I think you see that often this time of the year.”

Cold-weather games, that sort of thing?

“Playoff games.”

How important is it during this time of year to not only get your work in, but to keep the environment loose and a little bit more relaxed and have fun, especially this time of year?

“Well, I think loose and focus is what we always strive for.”

How do you feel about the week of preparation for your offensive line?

“How do I think it was?”

Yeah, how was it?

“Very good.”

Did you guys have to challenge them a little bit more this week based on what happened in Week 10?

“In terms of our offensive line?”

Yeah.

“No.”

Does CB Carlos Rogers have a chance to play this Sunday?

“I don’t know what the percentage would be, but suppose there’s a chance. He’d be questionable for the game.”

You guys already have CB Tramaine Brock and CB Tarell Brown. You’d have to consider them both starters. How good do you feel about those guys as a tandem?

“Very good. I thought they played extremely well in the secondary last week. Those five guys that played darn near every play of the game did some outstanding things and I think they prepared themselves very well this week. So, we have a lot of confidence in our secondary players.”

CB Perrish Cox is stepping in and picking up right where he left off. Can you talk about the challenges of a guy who hasn’t been there for two months, to step in and play with the stakes so high?

“Yeah, very similar to what [FB] Will Tukuafu did. As a team, as a coach, you thank those two men for accomplishing what they did. Being ready, being prepared and then being good when it mattered. So, I think it is quite an accomplishment and worth talking about, worth remarking about. In Perrish’s case, he had a very good week of preparation, got into the game, and really got on a roll and finished it nicely.”

Will you have a guest speaker address the team Saturday night?

“Not one that’s planned.”

Do you often do that?

“No.”

You had mentioned that you had thought about this scenario and keeping the team back east. What ultimately played into the decision to come back?

“Well, the question was asked, ‘have you thought about staying out after the Green Bay game?’ Did I think about it? Yes, I thought about it. Not very long, and felt like the better thing to do for us was to come back here. So, I think when you asked me, ‘did I think about it?’ I said, ‘yes I’ve thought about it.’ Maybe you thought that I thought about it a lot more than I did. There was a possibility. It was a very quick thought and made the decision it was better to come back here.”

KAEPERNICK: B+. His passer rating the first three quarters was 58.9, but his passer rating in the fourth quarter was 118.2. So, he was clutch, although he completed just half of his passes in the fourth quarter (4-of-8), and one of his incompletions was a dropped interception. If Mycah Hyde had caught that pass, he probably would have run it in for a touchdown and the Packers might have won and Kaepernick wouldn’t be clutch. He would have choked. But Hyde dropped the ball, and Kaepernick made three plays after that to get the 49ers into field goal range. He also was the 49ers’ leading rusher – 7 carries for 98 yards. Without Clay Matthews, the Packers had no chance of stopping Kaepernick when it counted.

WIDE RECEIVERS: B. Crabtree was excellent – 8 catches for 125 yards, his best game of the season. Most of that production came after the Packers’ No.2 cornerback, Sam Shields, left the game with a knee injury. Anquan Boldin was not excellent – he caught just 3 passes for 38 yards. Quinton Patton never was targeted. He ran the ball once on a fly sweep and lost a yard.

RUNNING BACKS: B. Frank Gore gained just 66 yards on 20 carries, but he scored a touchdown and made a key block downfield which allowed Kaepernick to explode for a 42-yard run.

TIGHT ENDS: B. Vernon Davis caught just two passes but he was open frequently. Sometimes Kaepernick didn’t see Davis. Sometimes Kaepernick underthrew him, and sometimes he overthrew him. Kaepernick threw one perfect pass to Davis, though, and it was a 28-yard go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B. They gave up a couple sacks and five tackles for losses. But they were terrific on the final drive, pushing the Packers’ defensive line back when they knew the 49ers were going to run.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B+. Aldon Smith had 1.5 sacks and Ray McDonald had .5 sacks. Justin Smith had a tackle for a loss. Overall, the pass rush was better than it has been since the game against the Seahawks a few weeks ago.

LINEBACKERS: B+. Ahmad Brooks had two sacks and his best game since Week 12. NaVorro Bowman had a game-high 10 tackles, and his last one was the most important. He tackled Randall Cobb for no gain at the 49ers’ 9 yard line, and the Packers had to kick a game-tying field goal two plays later.

SECONDARY: B+. They gave up a 97.8 passer rating, but only177 passing yards, and most of those came when Aaron Rodgers scrambled, extended the play and made the 49ers’ defensive backs cover longer than they typically would. In the second half, Tarell Brown knocked away a deep pass intended for Jordy Nelson, and Tramaine Brock knocked away a deep pass intended for James Jones.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A. Phil Dawson made all three of his field goal attempts, and LaMichael James had another good game returning kicks. His 37-yard kick return kicked off the 49ers’ final touchdown drive of the game.

COACHING: B. As has been the case recently, the 49ers’ offensive game plan was good and they moved the ball easily in the first half. But they scored just 13 points. Then they scored no points in the third quarter and looked completely disjointed. And then Kaepernick bailed out the coaches by scrambling and running and scrambling and passing in the fourth quarter. Kaepernick made most of those plays happen. But give Greg Roman credit for taking a shot at the end zone from 28 yards out in the fourth quarter. The 49ers were not-so-good in the red zone the first three quarters, so Roman skipped the red zone and went for the touchdown. Kaepernick made a perfect throw and Davis caught it for a touchdown.

KAEPERNICK: B. His passer rating was 108.6 and he ran for 51 yards and a touchdown against a terrible defense. He also completed just 13 passes, and only a few of his completions actually hit his intended receiver in stride. All night, receivers had to adjust to poorly thrown passes from Kaepernick. It will be interesting to count exactly how many receivers Kaepernick actually hit in stride when I re-watch the game. Kaepernick almost never sets his feet properly when the throws. How can he consistently throw accurate passes when he doesn’t consistently set his feet? How can Jim Harbaugh and Geep Chryst allow such poor footwork? Don’t they coach that?

RUNNING BACKS: A-. Frank Gore averaged 4.6 yards per carry against a defense that gives up 4.6 yards per carry. Kendall Hunter did very little until the fourth quarter when he had a 45-yard run. Anthony Dixon and Will Tukuafu both did a good job filling in for Bruce Miller as the 49ers’ lead blocker.

TIGHT ENDS: F+. Vernon Davis dropped three catchable passes, and Vance McDonald dropped two catchable passes, although all five of those passes were not well-thrown. McDonald made the key block on Anquan Boldin’s touchdown.

WIDE RECEIVERS: A-. Anquan Boldin was terrific running after the catch on screen passes. He also caught a 22-yard pass downfield. Michael Crabtree had 5 catches for 102 yards, including a 47-yarder. He also was flagged for an offensive pass interference. Kassim Osgood got one pass and caught it for a 17-yard gain. Quinton Patton got no passes.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A. They created huge holes in the run game. Most of the time, it seemed Frank Gore didn’t get touched until he was a few yards past the line of scrimmage. The offensive line gave up three sacks, but those came when Kaepernick decided to tuck the ball and scramble.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B. They helped limit the Falcons to just 3.1 yards per carry, but they got very little pressure on Matt Ryan. Justin Smith got the only sack of the game. Aldon Smith pushed around the Falcons’ left tackle but could not get any sacks.

LINEBACKERS: A+. Patrick Willis had 18 tackles, and NaVorro Bowman may have saved the 49ers’ season. The Falcons were in field goal position with a minute left down three points, and Bowman intercepted Matt Ryan and returned the interception 89 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

SECONDARY: D. When the 49ers don’t get a strong pass rush, this group looks mediocre at best. They allowed Matt Ryan to complete 77 percent of his passes. Carlos Rogers dropped an interception and gave up a 59-yard catch to Drew Davis. Donte Whitner was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit and for unsportsmanlike contact on the same play. Tarell Brown left the game with an injury. Eric Reid and Tramaine Brock gave up a 39-yard touchdown to Roddy White. But Brock redeemed himself, hitting Harry Douglas and allowing Bowman to intercept Ryan in the fourth quarter. And Brock intercepted a Ryan Hail Mary on the last play of the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D. Phil Dawson was perfect again, but this group almost blew the game. NaVorro Bowman whiffed trying to recover an onside kick and the Falcons recovered at the 49ers’ 30.

COACHING: B. Bowman won this game. If he hadn’t intercepted Ryan and scored a touchdown, the Falcons probably would have won or the game would have gone into overtime. The Falcons were in field goal range with 1:30 left.

The game shouldn’t have been that close. The 49ers are far superior to the Falcons. But when the 49ers scored only a field goal on their first drive of the game, you just the 49ers would let the Falcons hang around. Greg Roman was extra cute in the first half, calling a strange shot play on third-and-1 which failed and killed what could have been a big drive. But Roman and the rest of the offensive coaches made good adjustments at halftime and handled the Falcons’ terrible defense in the second half as they should have handled them all game.

Since you have all of the same guys in the same places as last year, what’s different about your defense this year as far as the way it’s executing your scheme and what it’s accomplished? I think you’re back up there right there at the top like you had been last year. What’s different right now about this defense?

“I don’t know that there’s a whole lot different. Like you said, a lot of the same guys are playing. We do have some new guys that have filtered in there. I just think the guys are playing confident and fast like you would expect being in the same system basically for three years. That’s a byproduct of that. We’ve added a thing or two that we haven’t done in the past and that’s paid some dividends for us. But, overall I think we’re the same, basically.”

Are you guys healthier than you were a year ago at this time?

“Probably. Last, I think at this time last year, [DT] Justin [Smith] wasn’t playing and [LB] Aldon [Smith] was playing with a shoulder that needed surgery. So, in that regard, probably.”

Why do you give Justin a day off each week? I think I know why, but can you annunciate it?

“Well, he has an injury or two that he’s nursing. And he’s 34 years old. And he’s earned that. The way he plays on Sunday, it has no negative affect on him. So, it’s good to do.”

I think he’s also averaging significantly fewer snaps this year versus the last two. Was that by design or is that just how things have sort of played out this season?

“I think it’s more of how things have played out, the types of games we were in. Maybe a little bit by design, but not a whole lot.”

How did CB Tarell Brown play Sunday against Tampa?

“He did good. It was his first action. I believe he missed three games was it, and the last half of the New Orleans game. And, I thought he played well and he played a side that he hadn’t played in the last three years and adapted well to that. So, it’s a good thing that he’s flexible and can play both sides for us.”

Does CB Tramaine Brock remain as the starter?

“Right at this point he will.”

As good as your defense was last year, over the last six weeks including playoffs you averaged allowing almost thirty points a game. Is it better suited to kind of carry out this year because you are healthier, because everybody seems to be playing their top of their game right now and you guys have that momentum still on defense?

“Well, those games you’re eluding to, they always weren’t as bad as those numbers indicate. There are stories to be told behind a lot of those points that if you just look at a scoreboard or a play-by-play it doesn’t tell the true story. So, I just think we’re playing like we’ve always played. We’ve done a good job of eliminating the big play. And, been doing well on third down and that equates into playing good defense.”

Will you miss the, with Candlestick’s final game, will you miss those halftime walks?

“No. This is the last stadium in the league that I think you have to do that in. I’ve been through all of them here in the last 30 years and this is the last one. I hope they have the same visiting locker room in the new stadium that they have for them at Candlestick after having been the visitor here many times.”

Do you even go down at halftime?

“Yes.”

How much time do you have with your squad?

“Not a lot. Six or seven. Six minutes. Seven minutes.”

Can you always get on the elevator?

“Most of the time.”

Does it make a difference as far as what you can, how in depth you can get at talking to your team in a road game as oppose to a home game?

“Not really. But, it just, you don’t feel the stress. You know you’re going to get up and out, up and down at a normal stadium. Here you always got to fight through the crowd, which can be a little bit chaotic at times. Just nobody’s fault. There are just a lot of people going up and down those steps. And then you’ve always got the elevator there. You might have to wait for it. There’s only one, where these new stadiums usually have a bank of three or four there. But, luckily in the last three years, we’ve been fairly successful at home and the fans have been cordial going up and down.”

Have they given you any tips or any advice on your way back up to the booth or on your way down?

“Not really. They’re, for the most part, encouraging.”

What was it like as a visiting coach? Would you hear all kinds of things when you’d go through the stands?

“No. These people here have really, for the most part, have been cordial. Now, I remember I came here, my first 13 years in the league I was in the same division with the 49ers through their heyday with [former 49ers QB Joe] Montana and then [former 49ers QB Steve] Young. So, I was a visitor here 13 years in a row. And, wasn’t always up in the box then, but most of the time I was. They were always pretty cordial.”

For those who don’t know what it’s like, how would you describe the visitor’s locker-room?

“Very small. It’s a closet.”

Anything else like it in the league in your experience?

“Not now there isn’t, I don’t believe.”

Do you have to go through the crowd in Buffalo?

“To a degree. If I remember right, the last time I was there you’d take a golf cart up to a bank of elevators. So, it’s not quite the same.”

Tampa had some success doing some up-tempo stuff, hurry-up stuff, and that’s been something last year that was a little bit problematic for the defense. When you look at the film Sunday, was that an execution thing? I know LB NaVorro Bowman said that the defense was, he thought they just kind of took their foot off the gas. Was that what you saw? Are you concerned about that?

“Well, you’re always concerned when you give up a touchdown drive, particularly at the end of the half. You know, we missed a tackle on the first play which gave them positive yards on a run. We had a mental mistake on the 26-yard play that they got during that drive which gave them that. We got the penalty on [S] Donte [Whitner] which gave them 15 yards and then before you know it you’re in the red zone and they made a good play in the red zone on us. So, yeah you’re concerned about it. But, I think we can eliminate some of those by our own play.”

Their record may not indicate it, but what do you think the biggest challenge will be for your defense Mondaynight?

“They’re still very good on offense. Anytime you’ve got [Falcons QB] Matt Ryan playing quarterback, [Falcons TE Tony] Gonzalez at tight end, [Falcons WR] Roddy White and [Falcons WR Harry] Douglas at receiver, and the backs of [Falcons RB Steven] Jackson and [Falcons RB Jacquizz] Rodgers, they’re still very explosive on offense and have thrown the ball extremely well this year. And their running backs are running hard. So, they’re very, very capable of putting up points. And you’ve seen a lot of their games they have put up some good amount of points. To me, they’re still a very explosive offense, one that we’re going to have to play our best against them.”

He’s not young, but what makes Tony Gonzalez still a threat and so dangerous?

“He’s a tremendous talent, number one. And then you combine that with great instincts for the tight end position. And anytime you’ve got great instincts and great talent, it usually equals greatness. And that’s what he’s been throughout his career and will be in the Hall of Fame for.”

NaVorro was talking a little bit about that last play in last year’s Championship game. Was that an un-scouted look? He said that I think White lined up in a spot that he hadn’t lined up all day so he knew what to expect. Can you kind of take us through that play and what was the tip-off for NaVorro?

“It wasn’t an un-scouted look. That was a formation that they get into, I don’t know if you want to say regularly, but they use. And, we were in a base-call first at that time and I don’t know that he knew what to look for, but it was fourth-and-four. It wasn’t like they had to score a touchdown. They were still looking for a first down. And, he played the route tough, used the leverage and help that he had and made a great play. To me, the biggest thing he did on that play was he didn’t panic, and played.”

Since Week 12, you have the highest percentage of sacks per play in the NFL and that’s kind of coincided to when Aldon came back. How much better has your pass rush gotten since that and what’s it meant to the kind of defensive roll that you’re on right now?

“Anytime you can add a great pass rusher to your team, which Aldon is, it’s going to help your pass-rush. It not only helps the production that he gives you, but he draws attention and helps other people get production. We’ve had some games where we’ve been able to get after the passer some and guys have taken advantage of it. Aldon’s one of the top pass rushers in the league and anytime you have him playing your pass rush is going to be better.”

“We’re glad to see you. We’re glad to be back. It was a great win for the team. We’re very excited about it. The biggest thing is the guys worked hard for it. They worked hard in their preparation. They worked hard in the ballgame, a tough, physical game. And when you work hard for something and get rewarded you feel very good about what the team accomplishes. And it makes you better. Both those things.”

Is there any injury update to FB Bruce Miller?

“Yeah, but it doesn’t look good. It looks like he has an injury to his Scapula.”

He seems like a very valuable player, sort of under the radar sometimes from the blocking, but how significant a loss is that, given what he brings to the team?

“Very significant. He does so many things in the protection and the run game. Receiving out of the backfield. He is a multi-talented, multi-use player. Special teams contributor on two, three phases, so it’s a loss.”

Can you guess how many weeks at this point?

“Not right now. I have a pretty good idea, but won’t say anything officially. It doesn’t look good for now. But, it’s something he’ll heel from.”

But, you’re preparing that you may not have him the rest of the way, even in a playoff scenario?

“I think good. I haven’t seen Michael today, but seemed good after the ballgame and on the flight home.”

What are your options at that position with Bruce out? Who would you expect to be candidates to get more playing time there?

“Like I just said, the possibility of signing Owen Marecic, [RB] Anthony Dixon, and then we could get creative with some other guys on the team.”

Is it, maybe not, will you plan on signing him? I mean, you need some insurance there. Is he going to go through a workout for you, Owen?

“Yeah, come in, go through a physical and see where he’s at with his conditioning, etcetera.”

RB Kendall Hunter scored a touchdown and he’s been playing kickoff recently. How is that for you to see him rewarded, being unselfish, and take a role like that that he wasn’t accustomed to to start the year?

“He’s always been on the depth chart there. A good game again. He played well last week, played well again this week. He was responsible, did his assignment, had the backside, was heads up for the reverse, was in the right place and was rewarded with the touchdown. So, job well done.”

A year ago, TE Vernon Davis expressed that it took some time for him to click with QB Colin Kaepernick. What has been the difference this year for those two?

“Well, I think you saw the same thing last year where there was ‘clickage.’ And they’re clicking again. Two great football players.”

It seemed like that play, that touchdown, kind of showed each of their special abilities. I mean, Kaepernick to throw the ball that far and accurately, and Vernon to get that deep beyond the guy and make the catch.

“Obviously, the special talents of both those guys on display in that one play. Vernon, the speed, the ability to track a football, extend for a catch, balance of keeping and getting the feet in bounds. There’s many superlatives there. Colin, great accuracy and arm strength down the field, buying time, which he did a great deal in this ballgame, which was impressive on that play and others.”

How vital has it been, with Crabtree playing his third game back, how vital has the passing offense just been? Kaepernick has shown life in the last two games.

“He’s shown a lot of life in all the games he’s played. It’s been good to have Michael back, there’s no question about it. He’s contributed from the very moment he stepped onto the field. In each of the games that he’s played in he’s been a big part of our offense, a big part of our team.”

What’s it say about the relationship Crabtree and Kaepernick have on the field with all that time off, their ability to connect on so many plays that break down and freelance and have that rapport where he can find him in small spaces after the play breaks down?

“Yeah, I think it’s a good point. It’s probably a special thing where you see what they did together last year when Colin stepped in and Michael was the go-to guy. And they have picked up on that pretty seamlessly in the last three ballgames. It’s been outstanding in that regard. And, I would say the same thing for [WR] Anquan [Boldin] and Kap, and Colin and Vernon. They’re doing it at a high level. Talented players. Team-oriented guys.”

With this being the last regular season game at Candlestick, how do you view it? Is it bitter sweet for you? Do you think back and just remember some of your best coaching and playing moments there?

“I think it would be forward. Wanting to win this game for many reasons, the most being that we gotta win it, to accomplish our goals this season. It’s the next game, which makes it the biggest game of the season. And then also, it’s the last game at Candlestick and we don’t want to be the guys that screw up the last game in Candlestick. These players will come back 20-25 years from now and they want to have a good memory of winning at Candlestick. I think that’ll be very important, not only for them, but for all the guys that played for the 49ers and have that legacy of playing with the team and playing at Candlestick that want to go out with a win. So, probably more forward-thinking than I am nostalgically at this point. Make sure we work hard to give ourselves the best chance of doing that.”

It’s a rematch of, well, we won’t say rematch, but a look at the two teams that played, you had to get by them to get to the Super Bowl.

“NFC Championship game. We played each other.”

Right. What do you take of that and how far both teams have come?

“That was then, this is now. It’s the next game. It’s the biggest game on the schedule. We desperately want to win. I’m sure they feel the same way. It certainly has been evidenced this whole season that everybody’s fighting tooth and nail for wins. No team, no exception. The competition has been the most heated. It’s like a froth out there to win these games. You see it from the players. You see it from the coaches. And, it’s made for a very exciting season. But, everybody’s fighting tooth and nail.”

LB NaVorro Bowman’s been playing some fantastic football lately. Can you talk about his role on the team and just what he means to your defense and the kind of year he’s having? I’ve heard Defensive MVP thrown around a little bit about him.

“Well, he sure has been playing at a very high level. Consistently great week in and week out. You could even say the last four or five ballgames, I mean, he’s elevated that play to the last five, six, seven games he’s just been outstanding, and deserves to be mentioned in that kind of company.”

It seemed like LB Aldon Smith was applying pressure constantly yesterday. As good as he’s been, do you see him kind of, given his absence for a while, do you see him getting back to his old peak form?

“He got a game ball last week. He had another excellent game this week. Another game where we really played good up front. It was an excellent plan by the defensive coaches. Well executed by our players. We had seven three-and-outs in the game out of 11 series. That is, when you talk about time of possession, that certainly factors into that. Getting the ball back for the offense. So, we really played well up front. The backers played extremely well. Played really well in the secondary. [S] Donte Whitner, a lot of big hits again in the ballgame. A couple mistakes here and there in communication and coverage, but overall a really outstanding game. And that quarterback hit us with some passes on the outside in the flats, but he’s got a big arm and a tendency to throw the ball down the field and we were protecting against some of those bigger plays, some of those seem routes. Just thought it was an excellent plan that was well executed.”

Have you asked K Phil Dawson to stay beyond this season, yet?

“No, let me do that right now. Phil, stay beyond this season, please. No, I’ve been remiss asking him to do that. Let me officially ask him to stay beyond this season.”

That is a legitimate question.

“Absolutely. I’m glad you brought it up. 24 straight field goals and he has just been a top-notch guy too on the team from the day he got here. Just a real guy’s guy. Real football player in every sense of the word, which that always doesn’t get affixed to kickers and punters, but Phil is that kind of a teammate. It’s about the team. It’s about accomplishing the mission and the goal of the team and him doing his job within that. That’s the way I truly believe the way he looks at it. So, it’s been A-plus-plus. Very happy with Phil. Nothing not to be happy with him about. Just so good on the field, off the field, in the locker, in the community, etc.”

Bowman was saying the other day that he sees Phil Dawson here when he doesn’t have to be here. Have you observed some of those moments where he’s here–?

“He’s got a perfect attendance in the offseason. I’ve not seen a lot of kickers and punters have perfect attendance before. But yeah, he’s committed. He’s made a great sacrifice too. His family’s not here and they come and visit. He talks about them all the time. He’s a great role model too for all of us, just how much he loves his wife, how much he loves his kids, how much he talks about them. Just the way he does so many things right. It’s great for everybody to see that.”

How much does he influence your decision making? He’s become so reliable and so automatic on these field goals, as you drive guys drive downfield, I’m sure it shapes play-calling and your decisions. How has it affected your job during games?

“It does. It’s shaped it in a positive way. You feel you know you have the option and the high probability that he’s going to make the kicks.”

So, a long-term deal coming up?

“Pay the man.”

This was CB Tarell Brown’s first game in a month. How do you evaluate his performance against the Buccaneers?

“Real good, real good. Real excited to see T. Brown this morning as well. Moving around good. Another guy who came in there and contributed right away. There was no real rust factor. Did a lot of good things.”

S Eric Reid had the late interception and elected to go down. He said after the game he wanted to save the kickoff team from having to make another trip down the field and his defensive guys, making another defensive series. Is that the type of decision making that you saw from him in the draft process? That type of veteran decision making instead of taking the easy walk into the end zone?

“Yeah, he’s a smart player. He made a smart play there. Could have batted it down because it was 4th down, but who’s going to do that when they have a chance to get an interception? Further probably tells you how smart he is. But no, good decision. ”

You were obviously preoccupied with your own game, but what do you think about Dolphins S Michael Thomas? I mean he was on the practice squad one week and not only was he playing yesterday, but he’s intercepting Patriots QB Tom Brady and knocking another pass down.

“It brought a smile to everybody’s face as we got that news on the plane and started seeing the highlights. Mike’s just a great guy and a great teammate. Everybody was just happy for his success. I really personally enjoyed listening to him give the interview afterwards and just the Michael Thomas excitement. Just wonderful, wonderful. Really happy for him. Texted him, he texted back. Few players I’ve coached that I love more than Michael Thomas.”

I saw RB Frank Gore twist his ankle towards the end of the game and then he came back on the field for that four-yard run. Did he walk that one off? Is he feeling OK today?

“Yeah, he was walking good on the plane. Saw him walk up and down the aisle. He looked like he was walking it off pretty good. Came back and said hello. We had a nice chat during the flight. He, [head coach Jim Harbaugh’s wife Sarah Harbaugh] Sarah and I. That was enjoyable. It’s kind of become a little tradition to have a nice chat with Frank after we win.”

Does he continue to amaze you? 1,000-yard seasons and everything he does week in and week out.

“He’s a mystical man. He is a mystical man.”

Is he a Hall of Famer?

“Yes, I believe so. I truly believe that in my opinion. Other good stuff to talk about to. Also, looking at what Colin did in the game. Contributed to the first downs in probably the biggest way that he has all year. 22 first downs, 11 by passing, 8 running. Frank had, I believe five, Kendall two, and [RB] LaMichael [James] one. And then Colin had three rushing first downs. So, 11 of the 22 first downs or touchdowns were contributed by Colin. The way he made them, getting out of the pocket, scrambling, buying time, extending plays. Even the four-yard gain to Bruce that picked up a first down. The touchdown to Michael, where he extended the play, pump fake, pump fake. Talked about how Michael and him were on the same page. And then the throws he made running to his right. There were 30-yard lasers on the run. Just haven’t seen anybody ever do that. And then the escapes. The part of the long drive that we got the field goal there in the 4th qtr. where he got out. Some of your older readers and football fans may remember Harry Houdini. I don’t think Harry Houdini was in tighter jams than what Colin was yesterday in some of those situations. He was Houdini-like, escaping and buying time.”

Are those some of the skills you saw maybe before the rest of us in terms of elevating him to that job in the sense of no matter what scheme the defense plays, you can’t prepare or plan for those kind of escapes or extending the play as you described it?

“Well, and you don’t really, I’m not saying we’re scheming them offensively. He’s got size. He’s got strength. He’s got great decision making. And he’s got arm talent. He’s got talent to throw on the run. He’s got speed. All those things, we’re watching. Everybody’s seeing them together as he continues to show the kind of player that he is.”

I know you’re game planning, but can you reflect on Candlestick a little bit on the iconic venue, the great players who have put on this uniform for this franchise who have played there and done so many special things?

“Yes, I could. Boy, I’d hate to leave anybody out. There’s been so many. And so many have played with the San Francisco Giants. So many players that have played for the 49ers and played for other teams in the National Football League or in Major League Baseball that have passed through those dugouts or sidelines to play on that field. There will be tremendous memories from everybody that’s ever played there. That’s why it’s important for us not to screw it up and make sure we get this win this Sunday. Also excited that [former 49ers owner] Eddie DeBartolo will be there. Had a chance to see him in Tampa. We didn’t screw it up in Tampa, that’s where he lives now. So, he’s still got the bragging rights in Tampa. Felt good about that. Now we’ve got to get another win this week.”

Do you remember the first time you played at Candlestick?

“Yes.”

What do you remember about that? What was that like? Was it unlike other stadiums? Was it windy? Anything stick out in your memory of that?

“We got beat, I remember that. We got beat pretty bad. I was the backup quarterback with the Chicago Bears. The starter threw like three or four, maybe four interceptions in the first half and they inserted me in the second half. We didn’t win the game. First time I ever went there was when my dad was coaching at Stanford. Took us to a Raiders, 49ers preseason game. My brother and I and our sister and our mom. I remember sitting there like, ‘It’s not this cold back in Michigan.’ We just moved to California and they said it was going to be cold. They had us kids in our warm jackets, but it was still cold. ”

About how old do you think you were?

“16. I’m sure others could elaborate more, but like you said, iconic venue and it’d be an honor to be on that sideline for the last game at Candlestick and we want to win it.”

Do you sense any, I don’t know if let down is the right word, but is it tough for these guys to get back to work after a big win against Seattle?

“No. I don’t think so. Like I told you last week, the last four games have equal importance because of the situation we were in. This game, for us and all intents and purposes, is just as important as last week’s was. With the division title realistically not in the picture, all these games weigh the same.”

You’ve had a few weeks now to look at CB Eric Wright in a game situation. What stands out about him? What makes him different from some of the other guys that you’ve coached?

“I don’t know that there’s a whole lot different. He has been getting better and better, which is what you would expect that would naturally come with more practice time and more playing time. It’s good to see him come back from a slight injury there and finish the game, and come up with the game-preserving interception at the end. But, I do think he’s been improving. And we have high hopes for him for the rest of the season and in the future.”

He does seem to get his hands on a lot of balls, whether it’s batted-down passes, or that pick. Is that something that stands out? We don’t get to watch practices, but does he get his hands on a lot of passes in practice, too?

“I wouldn’t say a lot right now. But, he’s been playing better. And I think the way you’ve seen him play in the games has been reflective of the way he’s practicing. And we have to split his practice time, too because he’s our backup nickel. So, he’s got more on his plate than just corner.”

How difficult will it be for CB Tarell Brown when he’s ready to go to get back in there with CB Tramaine Brock and Wright, you know, the way they’re playing?

“Well, when Tarell’s healthy enough to play, we’ll play him some. And how that will shape itself out will be determined based upon his health. We’re starting to get into the time where he’s had three or four weeks now of inactivity, conditioning starts to be affected. So, he may not play all the plays. So, maybe similar to what we did with [LB] Aldon [Smith] and work him back and build him back up.”

How is Aldon doing?

“Good.”

Do you sense him rounding into regular season shape finally and is ready to go?

“Yes. Yeah, he played very well against Washington. He played very well last week, and expect him to play really well down the stretch here.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dumped their quarterback in the middle of the season and then switched to QB Mike Glennon. What is, I guess, the difference that Glennon has made since taking over at QB?

“Well, he’s done a good job running their offense. They run an offense that’s pretty similar to the New York Giants, with their offensive coordinator coming from there. And he’s gotten better and better every week. They’re getting sacked less here lately, cutting down on the interceptions. Seems to me he’s got good command of their offense and he’s got very good arm talent, throws the ball extremely well, short, intermediate and deep. He’s got deceiving pocket presence, too. He can move around in the pocket. I wouldn’t say he’s the [Seahawks QB] Russell Wilson-type scrambler or anything, but he has good pocket feel.”

Is LB NaVorro Bowman playing the best football of his career?

“He might be. But, he’s played really well in the three years we’ve been here. He should be playing better now. He’s still in the prime of his career, still in the state of his career where he should be improving and playing better. And I think he is.”

Right now, we’re in December, a lot of guys playing a little banged up. How much have you cut down on the physical aspect of practice to keep these guys fresh?

“Well we have. We’ve cut practice back a little bit. We do every year at this point in time. Don’t really cut back on the structure of practice, but maybe a period that had 16 plays will go down to 12. We’ve just sawed off a little bit of the timespan on the practice field and in the meeting rooms. And you can’t put the pads on very often anymore with the new rules, we don’t have them in pads very often.”

Is WR Vincent Jackson, is he the big-play guy? If you can kind of limit the chunk plays that he gets, is that kind of the goal of going into this game?

“Well, that’s one of the goals. But, [WR Tiquan] Underwood, too, has made some big plays for these guys. He got a 85-yard TD here recently. Their tight end has been playing extremely well. He’s kind of a really good receiving-type tight end. He’s really developed for them. They know him. They had him at Rutgers. And he’s been impressive as a tight end. So, they’ve got more than Jackson. But, obviously Jackson is their guy. He’s had 67 catches and over 1,000 yards and made some big plays for them.”

I was talking to some of your defensive linemen about their offseason conditioning program, which I guess DT Justin Smith is the ringleader. Do you, I don’t know if you occasionally during the offseason peek your head in and see what they’re doing, but if you do, is it unique from your experience in the NFL how they get after it in the offseason?

“It is to a certain degree, but when you have a leader like Justin, those guys just follow along. And if they don’t, they’re going to get chastised and [DT] Ray [McDonald] is the next leader and he’s right there with Justin and he’s a workout warrior, too. So, I think that’s a big thing that played a big part in [DL] Glenn Dorsey coming along and having his best year. He threw himself right in there with those guys from day one, almost the day after he signed and was here all offseason. And it’s paying dividends for him now. Same thing with [DT Tony] Jerod-Eddie. He threw himself right in there and he’s developed from an undrafted free agent who was on the bubble of making the team, or not making the team this year, and now he’s developed into a solid back-up for us.”

Do you have a sense that Justin and Ray have more trust in those guys this year?

“That’s probably the case. But, that may factor into it a little bit.”

You coached Dolphins S Michael Thomas for the last four years, disappointed to see him move on?

“I am. I think Mike was really making strides here. We talked about getting him up on the active roster here for about the last month or so. Never panned out. So, he got a great opportunity to go down there and finish the season with Miami. He’ll get an accredited pension here off of that, which doesn’t mean much to anybody right now. But, in the future he’ll be glad he did that. I hope nothing but the best for Mike and like to see him succeed.”

It didn’t work out just because of injuries at other positions meant that you had to make other roster moves?

“Yeah, injuries at other positions, numbers at the DB positions, we talked about it but just couldn’t seem to get it done.”

If he did come up to a 53-man roster and played in the future, what position is his most natural spot do you think?

“Well, he was our jack of all trades. He was a safety in our base package. He could play nickel in our sub package. And, in a pinch in an adverse situation, he could go out and play some corner. That’s not what he’s built to do, but he could go out there. And it’s important anytime you’re dressing only eight DBs that somebody has to have some versatility. There has to be a safety that can come up and play a nickel position, or there has to be a corner that can go back and play safety. So, Mike has really good versatility.”

Is S C.J. Spillman kind of doing that now, coming in on dime?

“C.J.’s been coming in on our package where we do play six DBs. It’s not a total dime package. But, yes, he is doing some of that and you saw him in the game the other day for a couple plays.”

Is C.J. Buccaneers S Dashon Goldson this week in practice?

“I don’t know. I haven’t noticed where they have him lined up on the scout team.”

How much of Seattle’s success is success on first and second downs to stay in manageable situations, third and short?

“Well, it’s a big part of their success. Basically, the big part of their success is they’re balanced. They run the ball on first and second down as much as anybody in the league. And they do it because they’re good at it. The byproduct of that is, when they do get the third down, a lot of times it’s in manageable situations for them. So, it’s a good formula for them. But, it goes back to them being able to run the ball and run it effectively. They do a great job of blocking and they’ve got great running backs in [Seahawks RB Marshawn] Lynch and [Seahawks RB Robert] Turbin there.”

They didn’t get a ton of yards against you in the first game this year. Despite the score, do you think you did pretty good against them defensively?

“If I remember right, that game was 5-3 at halftime and basically all 8 points were scored off of short fields, their five and our three, obviously. Up to that point it was a good defensive game. In the second half, they continued to play great defense and we didn’t. So, we got to somehow find a way to play really good against this team for four quarters, because there’s a good chance that they’ll keep us down low.”

How does that running game change with their full line back, their whole offensive line?

“The running game doesn’t change at all, it’s just better. Anytime you’re missing two starting offensive tackles and a center for some of those games, your effectiveness is going to go down some. But, all three of those guys are back. They didn’t change at all. They still ran their same offense.”

There’s been a couple of games like the first game this year where it’s been really close at halftime and they’ve kind of really extended, maybe both games up there. Has it been game-plan stuff? Is it schematic? How do you explain some of those close games that turn into some big blowouts?

“That’s just their team. They’ve got really good players. The quarterback’s in the conversation of one of the top quarterbacks in the league right now. He’s very dynamic. He can make the plays with his arm. He makes the plays with his feet. And then they’ve got the option running game that he’s directly involved in. So, when you have a great quarterback like they do, you’re never out of a game. And, when you have a great quarterback with the defense they have, they can score, defense can go out and hold them, get it back, score again. They’ve got a really good, balanced team. So, you’re never too far behind when you have a team like that.”

How much has DL Glenn Dorsey’s presence meant to you guys since NT Ian Williams went down and just helped the rest of the guys be able to make plays?

“He’s come in and played great for us. His play has been getting better and better every week. Last week was probably his best game. Those guys challenged us pretty good with inside running. And he withstood that challenge and was a strong force in there for us. We’re very glad to have him, thrilled to have him and he’s getting better and better.”

Throughout his career there’s been talk of he shouldn’t be here or he should be over here on the line. Has he found his home in the middle and is that maybe his best position?

“Glenn?”

Yeah, I’m sorry.

“Absolutely. I think he’s found a home here. I think he knew that. I think that’s why he came here, one of the reasons he came here. And, he’s really gravitated towards the position. He’s mastering it. Credit to him and to [defensive line coach] Jim [Tomsula] for bringing him along and coaching him along. And like I said, he’s still young enough, still early enough in our system, he’s going to continue to get better and better and we’re glad we have him.”

He’s obviously not the biggest guy. You guys typically haven’t had 350-pound nose guards. Is his size OK and is he a good fit for what you do?

“Absolutely. We love his size. We don’t like big heavy guys. We want some guys that can do the job at the point, but still have some movement in them. And he fills that bill.”

I saw that CB Tarell Brown was back at practice in limited fashion. What happens when he’s 100 percent? Does he get his job back or is that a competition with CB Tramaine Brock there?

“I think he’ll probably be, like a lot of these guys that have come back, when you have inactivity, especially with the injury he had, it’s best to ease guys back in. We’ll tackle that issue when it comes.”

I think QB Colin Kaepernick yesterday used the word physical to describe, to best describe Seattle-San Francisco games. Do you think that fits your defense or do you use that as a non-description for your style?

“We like to play physical football. That’s pretty well known throughout the league. They do too. So, it’s a good battle.”

Is it more so than when you play anyone else or is it a budding NFC West kind of trait?

“I think anytime within the division, guys get to know each other, they play against each other a lot, it amps up a hair here and there, but it’s just good NFL football.”

Do the Seahawks still use that play, the blocking scheme that we saw Ian Williams’ season end on? Is that something that’s been a regular part of their plan of attack through the past nine games, 10 games?

“It is.”

How do you coach your guys? Are they all on high alert to be watching at their, at ankle level?

“You’ve just got to protect yourself against the low blocks, get in good position, stay square to the line, get your hands and feet working for you and know that they do it.”

As a coach, do you think that’s a part of the game that should be eliminated?

“That’s for the other people to decide, not me.”

You talked about the team’s never out of it. It’s true. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has four comebacks this year in the fourth quarter. When you look at those drives, in particular, when they were down 21 points against Tampa Bay, what stands out about him and how he runs that offense when they’re behind?

“Two best things that he does is he’s a very mobile quarterback, so he can make plays with his feet, and invariably he’s scrambled for some big plays within those games you’re talking about. And, he does a really good job of throwing the ball in the seams and deep. And he’s been able to get some big chunks that way. Everybody thinks this guy’s a freak quarterback. This guy’s just a really good quarterback who happens to be very fast, very quick and very elusive. He’s not just a guy that runs around. He’s a passer, too. He can run any offense and be a competent quarterback.”

You started to talk about NFL MVP Award for him. Do you think that’s premature or do you think that’s legitimate at this point?

“Legitimate.”

When you play a shorter quarterback a lot of people think that should be a disadvantage with a guy being short when you can bat down passes and some other things. Why is he able to succeed when other shorter quarterbacks have not?

“You’ve got to remember the difference between six-feet and six-three is only three inches. He throws through windows. He can move around. He doesn’t get his ball batted. I was watching the Monday Night game and they threw a stat up there where he’s in the top half of not getting balls batted. I didn’t even know anybody kept that stat. But, it doesn’t stand out when you’re watching the tape that he gets balls batted. When you’re short, it can be to your advantage in a lot of positions. It reminds me of me coaching [former New Orleans Saints LB] Sam Mills back in the day. He was a 5-9 linebacker. Every now and then being short would hurt him on a play. But, I can think of a lot of plays where it helped him and I think that’s the case with this quarterback too, because he’s a special player with his movement, with his quarterback instincts. He’s not just standing there and throwing it. He’s got great quarterback, football instincts.”

You watched the Monday Night game live?

“Some of it, yes.”

You watched it here?

“Yes.”

By yourself? With other coaches?

“It was on in my office while I was working.”

Lynch’s numbers have dropped off the last couple of games, but how hard is he running and what kind of threat is he to catch the ball out of the backfield?

“He’s a big threat out of the backfield. They’re a team that likes to throw the ball downfield and if the downfield throw isn’t there he comes down to the check-down which is him and that’s where he can be very dangerous. I don’t see any drop-off in his running. Teams have just really loaded the box on him. The Saints played extra big people in the game. They did a decent job against the run, but you saw what happened against the pass. So, they’re balanced enough that if you go to that extreme they’re going to hurt you with the quarterback and the passing game.”

As you enter the last quarter of the season, especially for this week against the Seahawks, what’s your sense of the guy’s excitement, their energy level, enthusiasm, all those sort of things?

“I think we’re refreshed and ready to go for the stretch. This game is no more important than the three that follow. For all intents and purposes, we’re not in the conversation for winning the division. I know it’s mathematically still possible. But, we’ve got four equal-important games down the stretch and we’ve got to treat them all equally.”

You don’t blitz a whole lot. Is that part of your philosophy that you’ve always had as a coach or is that something you do because you have the personnel that allows you to do that?

“No. It’s because of the players we have. We feel like we’ve got a system here that best suits our players. In the past, I was known for a lot more pressure and some people thought too much at times. I think you always have to look at the players you have as a group more so than individually and do the best for those 11.”

Did you ask your players to check out the live broadcast of the Monday Night game?